An unusually angry Pope John Paul II yesterday dismissed the gay pride festival in Rome as offensive to Christians – then reiterated Vatican doctrine that homosexual acts are “contrary to natural law.”

The pontiff spoke from his balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square a day after tens of thousands of people marched in an international gay pride parade in Rome.

The parade capped a weeklong festival the Vatican had tried to get canceled.

John Paul said he felt “bitterness for the insult” that the festival took place in Rome “during the grand Jubilee of the year 2000 and for the offense to Christian values in a city that is so dear to the heart of Catholics all over the world.”

The Roman Catholic church is celebrating a Holy Year that has attracted millions of pilgrims to Rome.

“The true offense is homophobia and anti-gay prejudice fed by the Vatican hierarchy,” he said.

Yesterday was dedicated to prison inmates, and John Paul visited the capital’s oldest prison and celebrated Mass for incarcerated murderers, thieves, rapists and drug dealers – and offered them his personal blessing.

But later, speaking to the faithful who gather every Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff sternly reminded his listeners of church teachings:

“Homosexual acts are against nature’s laws,” he said.

“The church cannot silence the truth, because this … would not help discern what is good from what is evil.”

John Paul then toned down his speech, and told his listeners to never be cruel to someone who is gay, to treat homosexuals with “respect, compassion, delicacy” – because it’s a “disorder.”

Ironically, World Pride 2000 organizers said they chose Rome for the festival in hopes of opening a dialogue with the church.

Instead, the festival seems merely to have highlighted tensions between the two – and between Italy’s secular and Catholic establishments.